Brush making apparatus with dual twisting heads



O .1 1 United States atent 1 13550963 [72] Inventor Anthony E. Puleo [56] References Cited c/o Puleos Novelty Company, 141 Rte. 17, UNITED STATES PATENTS 07652 2,261,060 10/1941 Giesler 300/2ux [211 P 724995 3,112,957 12/1963 Briglia 300/2 [22] M51968 3 220 774 11/1965 Lo an 300/2 Patented Dec 29, 1970 g Primary ExaminerGranville Y. Custer, Jr. Attorney-Clarence A. OBrien and Harvey B. Jacobson ABSTRACT: A brush-making machine of the type in which two adjacent wires having bristles disposed therebetween are twisted to lock the bristles in place and forms a cylindrical {54] S $E Z%Q WITH DUAL brush in which dual twisting heads are employed for gripping 3 Cl 3 D and twisting the brush-forming wires 1n each dlrection of lonalms rawmg gitudinal movement of the twisting and gripping head in order [52] U.S.Cl 300/21, to form a brush during each movement of the dual twisting 300/2 head assembly so that the machine does not have idle time as [51] Int. Cl A4611 9/00 occurs when only a single twisting head is used inasmuch as a [50] Field of Search 300/2, 21; single twisting head has to return to a wire gripping position after a brush has been formed.

YPATENTEDHEMSIQIB 3550.963

saw 1 or 2 Q Anfhany E. Pu/eo Fig 2 PATENTEDBEBZQIHYB 3,550,963

SHEET 2 OF 2 Amhony E. Pu/eo INVIEN'I'OR.

BRUSH MAKING APPARATUS WITH DUAL TWISTING HEADS Brush-forming machines of the type including mechanism for dispensing adjacent wires with bristles supported therebetween and a wire gripping and twisting head which moves longitudinally and twists the wires to form a brush are known such as exemplified in U.S. Pat. No. 3,112,957 issued Dec. 3, 1963. In practical use of such machines, the gripping and twisting head will grip the end of the brush-fonning wires with the bristles therebetween and moves it longitudinally while at the same time twisting it. When'the brush has reached the desired length, the completed brush is severed and released from the gripping head at which time the gripping and twisting head must return to its gripping position for engaging the brush-forming wires at the same location as during its previous cycle of movement. As will be apparent, the time required for the gripping and twisting head to move from the position where it released a formed brush'back to a position for gripping the brush-forming wires is not utilized in that this time element is completely lost insofar as operation of the machine is concerned.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a brush-forming machine having a dual gripping and twisting head assembly mounted on a single carriage with the gripping and twisting heads facing in opposite directions for gripping and twisting brush-forming wires disposed in opposed relation to the gripping and twisting heads so that a brush is actually formed for each longitudinal movement of the carriage thereby eliminating idle travel time of the carriage and materially increasing the production rate of brushes per unit of time.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a brush-making apparatus in which the brush-gripping and twisting heads mounted on a single carriage are driven by a single motor thus more efficiently employing the power output of the motor during both increments .of longitudinal movement of the carriage.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a brush-making machine incorporating dual gripping and twisting heads therein which is adaptable for use with various types of apparatuses for feeding the brush-forming wires and bristles and various apparatuses for cutting the brushes off at a desired length after formation thereof with the particular feeder head and cutter head forming no specific part of the present inventron.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a brush-making machine with dual twisting and gripping heads which is relatively simple in construction, easy to install and operate and relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of com struction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a brush-making machine employing the dual gripping and twisting heads of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the construction of FIG. 1 illustrating the structural relationship of the dual twisting heads to the feeder and cutter heads; and

FIG. 3 is a transverse, sectional view taken substantially upon a plan passing along section line 3-3 of FIG. 1 illustrating further structural details of the invention.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, the numeral generally designates a brush-making machine incorporating a supporting-frame structure 12 of the type defining horizontal guide rails or supports for a longitudinally reciprocal carriage 14 supported by suitable rollers 16 or any other suitable structure for supporting the carriage 14 for reciprocation longitudinally of the frame 12. The particular structure provided for reciprocating the carriage 14 is not shown and forms no particular part of the invention inasmuch as single gripping and twisting heads are normally mounted on a reciprocating carriage similar to the carriage 14. in this assembly. there is a feeding and cutting head assemblies generally designated by the numerals l8 and 20 at opposite'ends of the frame 12 with a carriage 14 moving in a longitudinal direction back and forth between the feeding and cutting head assemblies 18 and 20..

The particular construction and operational sequence of the feeding and cutting heads 18 and 20 fiomi no particular part of the invention and may be one of several types well known in the art. The feeding and cutting heads. feed adjacent wires with bristles therebetween longitudinally for engagement by a gripping and twisting head with the cutter head being operated to sever the brush by cutting the wires when the brush has been formed to a desired length. For purposes of description, a partially completed brush is designated by numeral 22 with the bristles 24 and wires 26 being illustrated in F IG. 1 so that when a brush 22 of a desired length has been formed, the cutting head assembly 28 forming a part of the feeding and cutting head assembly 20 is operated to sever the brush so that it may be deposited in a suitable receptacle or other suitable mechanism forming no particular part ofthe present inventron.

The carriage structure 14 includes a pair of oppositely facing gripping and twisting heads in the form of chucks 30 and 32 which are driven by a suitable motor 34 and are capable of being opened and closed and also rotatably driven. Thus, the chuck 32 may engage the ends of the wires 26 and during its longitudinal movement away from the feeder and cutter head assembly 20, it will pull the wires and bristles outwardly from the feeder and cutter head assembly 20 and at the same time twist the wires 26 as indicated at 36 in FIG. 1 to form the brush 22. When the brush 22 has been formed to a desired length, it will be severed by the cutter head 28 and the chuck 32 will release the brush 22 for discharge. At that time, the other gripping and twisting chuck or head 30 will be adjacent to the wires projecting from the opposite feeder and cutter head assembly 18 for gripping thereof so that upon movement of the carriage 14 in the opposite direction, a brush will be formed by the gripping and twisting head 30.

The position of the feeding and cutter head assemblies may be adjusted so that while forming a particular length of brush, the gripping and twisting head 30 will be engaging the ends of the wires which will form the brush when the previously formed brush 22 is being cut and released by the opposite gripping and twisting head so that various lengths of brushes may be made and for each longitudinal movement of the carriage 14, a brush will be formed thus eliminating the necessity of the carriage to return with the gripping and twisting head thereon being idle.

The specific construction of the wire-gripping and -twisting heads as well as the drive connection for rotating the heads at predetermined intervals and opening and closing the chucks or gripping components are known in the art and are not described or disclosed in detail here. An example of such a structure known in the art is that disclosed in previously mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,1 l2,957. Essentially, the invention disclosed here is the provision of dual gripping and twisting heads driven from a single motor and mounted on a single carriage so that a brush is being formed at opposite ends of the carriage during the opposite directions of reciprocation of the carriage so that the time which is normally wasted when the carriage is returning to its initial position will be effectively employed by the gripping and twisting head on the opposite end of the carriage. This also eliminates the fast return of the carriage thus minimizing machine abuse and wear.

By employing this invention, the apparatus can make two different lengths of brushes (cut to size) in one cycle and also produce different diameter brushes in one cycle of operation. The apparatus can also permit the used different gauges of wire on each side of the carriage. When different gauges of wire are used, they require different numbers of twists which cannot be accomplished with conventional brush making machines.

operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

lclaim:

l. in a brush-making machine, an elongated frame, means at each end portion of the frame for supplying a pair of wires with. bristles therebetween, a carriage reciprocal on the frame toward and away from the means at each end thereof, and a pair of oppositely facing wire-gripping and -twisting heads carried by the carriage for gripping the wires and pulling them longitudinally while twisting the wires to form a brush when the gripping and twisting head is moving away from the means at the facing end of the frame so that a brush will be formed during each longitudinal movement of the carriage, said carriage including a single motor drivingly connected with both of the wire gripping and twisting heads.

2. A carriage assembly for reciprocation between a pair of opposed feeding and cutting head assemblies of a brush making machine comprising a supporting member reciprocally mounted for movement between said head assemblies, a pair of oppositely facing wire-gripping and -twisting heads on said supporting member for alternatively forming a wire brush and idling during reciprocation of the supporting member, and a single drive motor for said gripping and twisting heads whereby a brush will be formed each time the supporting member moves in a single direction of movement, said gripping and twisting heads being drivingly connected with opposite ends of the motor.

3. The method of forming two twisted wire bristle brushes in one cycle of operation consisting of the steps of supplying a first pair of wires with bristles therebetween, supplying a second pair of wires with bristles therebetween, orienting the first and second pairs of wires in opposed spaced facing relation, orientating a dual gripping and twisting head assembly with a first gripping and twisting head thereon adjacent the first pair of wires and a second gripping and twisting head thereon in remote relation to the second pair of wires, gripping and longitudinally moving the first pair of wires away from the supply thereof while twisting the wires to form a first brush and simultaneously moving the second gripping and twisting head into adjacent relation to the second pair of wires, cutting and releasing the formed brush, gripping and longitudinally moving the second pair of wires away from the supply thereof while twisting the wires to form a second brush and simultaneously moving the first gripping and twisting head into adjacent relation to the first pair of wires, and cutting and releasing the second brush thereby forming two brushes in each cycle of operation. 

